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Construction foreman dies following 45-foot fall from roof of condominium.

Authors

Missouri Department of Health

Source

Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 95MO049, 1995 Dec; :1-5

On May 18, 1995, a 55-year-old construction foreman died after falling 45 feet from the roof of a four story condominium unit. The victim was on the roof with a co-worker who was installing wood-trim around a chimney enclosure when he stepped backwards off the roof. He struck two railings, one temporary wooden railing at the fourth floor of the condominium under construction and another metal railing on the first floor of an adjacent condominium before landing in a graveled area between the two condominiums. He was conscious at the scene, but later died at an area hospital. The MO FACE Investigator concluded that in order to prevent similar occurrences, employers should: 1. ensure that fall protection equipment is provided and used by workers where the potential for a fall from an elevation exists; 2. develop, implement and enforce a comprehensive safety program that includes, but is not limited to, employee restrictions set by management on specific job duties. The plan should describe the disciplinary actions that will be taken when employees work beyond their authorized area. 3. designate a competent person to conduct scheduled and unscheduled site visits to evaluated field compliance with company safety rules and procedures.